Tragedy of War (And the memories it leaves behind)
by deepermeaningbs16
Summary: Leyna fanfic, where Reyna must deal with the reality of her secret lover's condition, and looks back on all the memories they had and could've been. Flashback chapters to be added later. Flames and reviews of all kinds are welcome. Beware of potential mature content in future chapters (only potential) HIATUS OVER, ITS BACK
1. Chapter 1

This is a new fanfic that i've been working on for quite a bit of time. If reception is positive, I am considering building upon this oneshot and potentially making future chapters in the form of flashbacks to help flesh out their relationship a bit more. This is a leyna fic, and I'm not paid by anybody nor do i own these characters. Please leave a review, good or bad, I don't mind flames tbh anyway (constructive criticism preferred obviously).

"The day is ours, we have won!" Jason bellowed as the Greco-Roman demigod army triumphed over Gaia. We had won the war and saved the planet from the Earth God-thing. Celebrations were taking place across the field as demigod rejoiced in the bloody yet triumphant conflict. I, as praetor, restrained myself from such emotions but with a smirk dancing across my face as I looked in the whole twilight horizon changing into the evening.

Ah, I knew the perfect way to celebrate tonight, I thought to myself as my face began to heat up at the thought of a night with a certain special someone.

But, such as life is, I was shot back down to the ground. Hard.

Dakota came sprinting up to me, his face sweating and a panicked/terrified look on his face.

'What have you done now, Dakota?' I asked as I assumed Dakota had made another blunder in judgement due to his Kool-aid (as he insists though I have my doubts) induced lulls.

'No, praetor. It'it's-' he stuttered

'What is the matter. What is it!?' I said frustrated.

Dakota settled himself before replying 'follow me, Praetor.'

After doing as he asked, he led me to a small crowd that had circled something. I pushed through to see the draw of this attention.

I eventually reached the center to see a pale and stoic Jason staring at the ground. 'Jason, what's-' I gasped as I looked down at the ground to see what was the source of the suspense and drama.

Leo -MY Leo- body laid in the field.

I put my hands to my mouth as I processed everything before my eyes. Leo's right side was covered in his blood, as gaping wound from his armpit to his cleavage area was shown. His left fibula was broken and sticking out of his leg, and he was coughing up blood.

My world was dying before me.

Leo and I were lovers, to put it simply. No one else knew but us, but we were very much in a relationship, and I'm pretty sure I was in love with him. He had managed to make me smile ever so easily with his arsenal of witty and stupid jokes. Around him, I felt safe. I confined all my issues and problems to him, whether it be my troubled childhood, my traumatic encounter with the pirates, Jason, and the stresses of being praetor and being alone and feared. And he listened, he embraced, he comforted me in a way Jason never could. I didn't deserve Leo, though he would say the opposite. Idiota. He was the perfect man, and he hadn't run away from me at the first opportunity. Eventually, he told me his whole childhood one night; how his mum passed and that he blamed himself, his aunt turning his family on him, all the foster homes he ran from, and his addiction to painkillers. After that, looking at him with his head dropped into his hand and seeming so vulnerable, I kissed him on the lips. That was the start of our relationship. However, we had to keep secret as I feared Octavian and the other Romans If they found out a graecus who had blown up their city was dating their praetor, it surely would've been the end for the both of us.

My thoughts were interrupted by a distraught Jason turning to me puffy faced, and red-eyed say 'why are you just standing there and staring?! Fucking DO SOMETHING' he said as he wrapped his shirt around Leo's chest. Stunned by the situation at hand, I got some gauze and Ambrosia out to help Leo (who was as growing paler and was yet to say or word or acknowledge our existence). Once the emergency help came, Leo was stretched off and taken to an infirmary camp set up by the battlefield. And there I stood, once the crowd had dispersed, blood all over my clothes and hands, and my heart shattered to bits as I struggled to hold back my tears.

I decided to avoid visiting leo the rest of the day, as the other seven were camped out by his bed and checking to see how the surgery and all the medical procedures went. I stopped the doctor after the surgery in the main infirmary camp (in a formal and appropriate manner, of course) what his status was, his face went pale and he muttered 'he's got a day or two max, madam. He lost too much blood before we could get to him, and the infection has already taken hold of him. He's a dead man.' shaking his head and looking at the ground as he shuffled away.

The doctor had left me alone as I became lost in my thoughts, struggling to come to grips with the reality of the situation. He couldn't be dying, not now, not after finally winning the war and sending that "muddy faced cunt" (as leo so eloquently put it) back to her place. She loved him...and then a tear fell.

That evening, after the seven had been told they had to leave to let leo rest, I snuck into the infirmary camp (past all the guards) and slowly crept into my lover's tent. Once I came in, I saw leo for the first time since his surgery. He was hooked up everywhere n thickly bandaged around his torso. Another tear. My breath began to hitch as I slowly walked to and sat by his bed, fighting back tears as I grabbed his hand gently. "What happened? Por Que!? Not you, mi dulzura", I kissed his hand and took in his scent of motor oil, cinnamon, and cologne.

I must've stayed like that, crying quietly to myself with his hand in mine for at least 10 minutes when his hand suddenly twitched and I felt his grip tighten. Almost on cue, I heard a low raspy voice say "Que estas haciendo, mi reina?", Leo had woken up apparently and motioned to brush my cheek with his hand before pulling away in obvious pain. "Arghhhh fuck, it hurts like a bitch" he said while coughing. I quickly straightened by posture and got up "Would you like me to leave? You need rest" not that it made a difference, I thought to myself. Motioning to leave the tent, I continued "I didn't mean to-" "No!" He interrupted me, wincing in clear pain just to speak and sit up a little. "Please don't leave, not now. I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again." He said, stopping me in my tracks. "I know it's bad, I don't think I'm gonna make it, reina." I clenched my fists at that statement "No." I said back. Leo waited a second before responding "The doctor said my wound got infected Reina, I know what that mean-" "Shut up! Shut up! Don't say that, you can't d-die!" I said stuttering, dropping to the ground on my knees. "I won't let you." More tears hit the ground. "Reina, don't do this. It's going to happen. Come here will you?" He said this quietly, losing strength with each sentence. I slowly got my feet and sat down such that we were on eye level with each other now. He was crying too now, I could make out in the dimly lit lamp. He started again, saying "I'm sorry for this, it was all so fast-gods I should've known better" I squeezed his hand reassuringly, "what's done is done, Corona" I said warmly. He looked away from me then, and almost whispered "I'm sorry, for not being the man you wanted or deserved. I not as brave, or ripped, or handsome, or really just as cool as Jason or Percy or even Frank. At least now that I'm gone you won't have to worry about it affecting your position as Praetor, and you'll find a boy who's much-oww what the fuck?" I stopped his speech with a strong pinch of his cheek. "Your fucking stupid if you believe that, leo. You don't get it, I thought I wanted Jason and Percy and I was jealous of Piper and Annabeth. I'll admit, I first went out with you just to help get my mind off work and get closer to Jason. But then I finally saw you, and who you were; not the loud, boisterous guy you pretend to be for others, the quiet, shy, sweet guy with a witty sense of humor and great test of hip hop music. That date was magically, even if I did ruin my dress and we only ate pizza at 1 in the morning. I loved it, it felt so real, for the first time I was comfortable and no felt as though someone genuinely cared about me and what I thought and who I was. Your so much better than Jason and Percy, your smarter than them, funnier than them, and blunter than them. Not to mention your way better looking too. You just have that spark they lack; let piper and Annabeth mouth-fuck them in public all they want, what I want is you. The person that says the wrong things in the best way possible, who bangs my head against the wall when we first had sex, or spilled soda all over me. That's what I want, Leo. I LOVE YOU. I fucking love you and everything about you. I don't even care if you did have to go and save Calypso, because that's the person you are and I love you for it. I don't care about being Praetor, sure it's nice and all, but I've come to realize that you matter more than a silly title that's a huge pain in my ass. I don't deserve you, your right about that, your too good for me. Me with all my issues and fucked up family problems, or everything in my past and how antisocial I am or nobody likes me. I have a dead raccoon for a personality, damn it. Why you asked me out in the first place is beyon-" and I suddenly felt my cheek get pinched by a clearly irritated Leo. "Jeez reina, I thought you'd stop eventually." He chuckled as he brushed my hair softly. "Do you really l-love me?" He asked, nervousness evident in his tone. I looked up to him confidently as stated "with all my heart." Leo laughed again before saying "Good, I'm glad it's not just one-way then". It took me a second to realize what he meant before asking "you love me?" He nodded twice. I'm not quite sure what followed but next thing I knew, I was kissing him with more passion than I had felt in my life, shoving my tongue down his throat in an attempt to let him understand what effect he had on me.

After a minute or two, I broke gasping for hair and sweat running on my temple. "Don't leave me" I pleaded. He shook his head "reina, I want you to do it." Confused, I replied "do what?" Then, he pointed towards my Gladius and it dawned on me "Oh no no no, I can't kill you." He looked at me with begging eyes, coughing "please reina, it hurts so much, make it stop please! This isn't the last time we'll meet. I'll see you in awhile." He smiled to me. "Please-" "I can't, your friends would have my head. They'd never forgive me!" I said looking at him with tears running. "Reina, do it for me, I don't want to suffer anymore. Let me die while there's still some of me left." And then he stared straight into me with more intent than I'd ever seen. I unsheathed my blade, crying. "What would I say?" Leo paused and said between coughs

"I don't know, but don't worry. They'd understand" he reassuringly "through the chest...and strong please. I know it's tough, but thank you." Coughing up blood this time. After that I nodded my head and went silent, positioning my blade correctly.

"Te amo, V-Valdez".

"Te amo, reina".

And then I shoved my blade thru him, and all was quiet. I dropped my blade and fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, muttering "he told me too" over and over as I couldn't come to terms with the fact that I killed the love of my life.

The next morning, the seven walked into the camp to see me crawled up in the flooring sobbing and muttering those same words, with leo lying lifeless in the bed.


	2. Chapter 3

Surprise! Guess I couldn't help but post another chapter! :)))) Hope you guys enjoy it.

For the sake of better understanding this chapter, Reyna is flashing back into random memories she shared with Leo. They don't necessarily have to be in chronological order in the context of the rest of the fanfic.

* * *

*Cough Cough Cough*

"Holy shit, that was huge fucking pull!" Leo said in between laughs, as he could barely keep his breath at this point. "Who would have that the almighty Praetor would have access to such dank shit." Reyna simply rolled her eyes at the comment, as Leo passed the blunt back to her, and she took a pull. Two weeks earlier, one wouldn't have caught her dead with marijuana, much less Leonardo Ayala Valdez. But wow, does a fortnight make a world of a difference.

"Pshhhh bitch please," Reyna said before laughing. She was thoroughly fucked up. And judging by the crimson shade of Leo's eyes, he had reached the moon long ago. "Backflip- Remix," by Casey Veggies, was bumping in Leo's Stereo. Leo had taken his personal playtoy out for a spin, mainly to show off the engine to her she suspected, and they had decided to pull up into the woods and have a hotbox.

* * *

"Mi reina, have you ever had a hotbox session before?" he asked, curiosity peaking as a grin formed on his face.

"Nope, you already knew that was the answer, though, idiota."

"Well then, we should change that then. You said you just bought some dank right?" Leo pointed at her backpack on the floor.

Reyna hesitated before answering, "I-I mean yeahh, but are you sure it's okay to do it off cam-"

"C'mon rrrreina, let's have some fun! I'll even show off my flex." Leo made a motion with his wrist. Reyna rolled her eyes into the back of her head.

"Fine."

* * *

Reyna took another pull before passing it to Leo again, letting the smoke sit in her lungs for several seconds before blowing it out her nose. "You should know the praetor gets access to only the best stuff."

Leo grinned before facing forward again, taking another huge pull. Gods know how his lungs are so big. After Leo had breathed it out, he spoke again, voice raspy "What is this anyway, Pineapple Express?" Reyna nodded her head once in the most laid back manner possible. Ha. Reyna and laid back in the same sentence typically made no sense in any other context. But around Leo, things felt different for some reason. Maybe it's cuz he too was latino, or because he was a complete goof ball almost all the time, which initially pissed her off to no end, but now she found it soothing.

Leo raised his eyebrows in surprise, before nodding his head and pulling again. "Impressive, mi reina. Turn on some A$AP please." Reyna picked up her phone, which was connected to the stereo via Bluetooth.

"Which one? Ferg or Rocky?" Reyna inquired.

"Play some 'Crazy Brazy.'" Reyna immediately grinned at the choice; she loved that song.

Both demigods leaned against their seats as they let the beat hit their bodies.

Leo started saying "Woah, Woah, woah" in sync with the song, earning a chuckle from Reyna.

I got a lot on my head

Gucci rag tied on my head

Put a red dot on your head

I put that guap on your head

Don't be talking to me crazy

Don't be talking to me crazy

Don't be talking to me crazy

Don't be talking to me crazy

I got a lot on my mind

I put that guap on my mind

I got a lot on my mind

I put that nine to your mind

Don't talk to me brazy

Don't talk to me brazy

Don't talk to me brazy

Don't talk to me brazy

"This is soooo good, I always took you for the classical music type, ya know?" Leo said, turning to face Reyna. Reyna prompted flipped him off.

"Fuck you, you motherfucker," Reyna said before giggling like a little toddler.

"You wish."

"No, I don't," Reyna replied back bluntly, dropping her head back and closing her eyes, listening to the music and enjoying the bass vibrating of her whole body.

"You sure about that?" Leo asked again. Ugh, she could almost sense the smirk on his face, even without opening her eyes.

"I can still beat the shit out of you if I want," Reyna said, cooly. She could sense the slight shudder Leo probably made.

"Even after all this, you'd still hurt me? I'm so fragile and delicate." Leo replied back.

"Yeah, then maybe try hitting the gym sometime."

She opened her eyes, turning to see Leo's face go red at the comment "If you're so fragile, elf boy."

"At least I don't drool." Leo spat back, folding his arms. Now it was Reyna's turn to be flustered.

"That was an accident and a one time incident!" Reyna spoke emphatically.

Leo nodded like the pretentious prick he was, "of course it was, great praetor Reyna."

Reyna flicked Leo in the head, earning an 'ow.' Reyna thought to herself before saying "The blunt's dead, ash it." She checked her phone for the time. 12 am...wait it was midnight!? "Oh my gods, it's been two hours since we left camp." Reyna said to Leo, sitting up in surprise. Leo remained still.

"I know, it took 45 minutes to drive out here, did you forget?" Leo said before sitting up slowly to open the windows in his car. Reyna breathed out, exasperated.

"Yeah, I guess I did. I'm way higher than I expected I'd get." earning a laugh from Leo.

"Told you it'd be dope. My flex is tight." Leo said, grinning ear to ear.

"How the fuck are we getting back?! You are in no condition to drive whatsoever." Reyna yelled at Leo, how could he be so irresponsible. Worse yet, how could she have agreed to such a stupid thing? Leo faced Reyna, trying to calm her down.

"Just chill out Reyna, it'll be okay. Let's just lay low for a sec." Leo said, trying to reassure Reyna. It wasn't working.

"What if someone notices we're gone! What if-if-" Reyna stuttered in her panic/frustration. Leo put a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Just relaxxxxx, mi reina. No one will notice, much less care. You're entitled to go out sometimes too you know."

Reyna pressed her hands against her temple, taking deep breathes to calm herself down. "But if Octavian were to-"

"Oh for fuck sake, not again with the Octavian bullshit," Leo said, throwing his hands in the air. "What did I say about letting him run your life like this?"

"I know, I know, but I can't help it. I guess I'm too self-conscious." Reyna said back, putting her face in her palms. Leo turned off the stereo.

Nothing was said for several minutes, but it might as well have been an eternity to Reyna. But then the weirdest thing happened.

Leo hugged her.

Reyna was left speechless; she had no idea what to do. It had been so long since anyone had hugged, she couldn't even remember the last time it had happened. Reyna just lay still, absorbing the embrace, Leo's ridiculously high body temperature warming her entire body like a sauna. It felt nice. As a matter fact, she quite liked it a lot. What followed next was even more surprising, especially to Reyna.

Rather than push him back, Reyna hugged the latino elf back, just as tight. And together, they just sat there, embracing each other's compassion in Leo's decked out car.

* * *

 _ **Oooooooo some fluff I know. Leave a review and let me know what you thought of it!**_


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